The French authorities will support Ukraine’s entry into NATO in order to bring peace talks between Kyiv and Moscow closer. Paris takes this position in confidential discussions with members of the alliance, writes the newspaper Le Monde, citing sources.
During a recent defense council at the Elysée Palace, as the newspaper notes, Ukraine’s application for NATO membership was discussed. The French authorities consider that the acceptance of the candidacy can become an independent guarantee of security for Ukraine.
According to Le Monde sources, France assumes that the approval of the request will make Russian leaders doubt that the military operation will continue. They also suggested such a move would help win over Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy with Russian leader Vladimir Putin.
The foreign diplomat explained to Le Monde that France’s position is now closer to that of the Polish leaders than to that of Germany.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy submitted an application for Ukraine’s accelerated NATO membership on September 30, 2022. At the same time, he repeatedly stated that Ukraine could not join the Alliance of the North Atlantic as long as hostilities continued on its territory. The Ukrainian president explained that Kyiv wants to receive a “clear signal” that NATO membership will take place after the end of the armed conflict.
In early June, the Ukrainian president said he did not know if the alliance would make such a promise to his country at the July summit in Vilnius. On June 14, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that Ukraine would soon receive a signal from the North Atlantic Alliance that it would become a member of a military bloc in the future. He also authorized the creation of the NATO-Ukraine Council, which “will make it possible to take decisions”.
On June 17, US President Joe Biden said his country would not facilitate Ukraine’s NATO membership because Kyiv must strive to meet the organization’s standards.
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